


Gerard never pictured being a tattoo artist.

by Frnk



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Artist Gerard Way, Basement Gerard Way, Boss/Employee Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Nervousness, Shy Gerard Way, Snow, Tattoo Artist Frank Iero, Time Skips, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 14:18:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16220843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frnk/pseuds/Frnk
Summary: Gerard was an antisocial asshole, so ofcourse he had to go and fall in love with the one person he could easily be around. His boss.





	Gerard never pictured being a tattoo artist.

Gerard was an antisocial asshole, so ofcourse he had to go and fall in love with the one person he could easily be around. His  _boss._ Frank wasn't really just his boss, he was a childhood friend of Mikeys; so when Frank had a job opening for a drawer, Gerard was the first to get the call. It wasn't Gerards dream job, don't get him wrong he loves it, but being around tattoo machines still freaked him out, even a year in. Which is exatly why he shouldn't be staring right now.

"You look a little green." Frank didn't even look at him until it was time to reink, then he stared up with large hazel eyes and a small frown. 

"You don't have to stay, Gee." Mikey was the one on the bench. His baby brother getting stabbed by a needle thousands of times and he was the one turning green. How was this his life?

"I'm going for a smoke." He mumbled and forced his legs to move until he could sit outside the back door and light a cigarette. He could see people passing glance down the alley, probably checking for traffic before they crossed the street but it still made his skin crawl.

"Hey there." Frank sat down next to him, bumping their knees together as he held out a plastic cup full of water. Gerard took a sip and resisted the urge to lean in, reminding himself it was Frank Iero, the nerd from high school who always seemed to be huddled in a book. Hell, who was Gerard kidding? That made him want Frank more.

"Mikeys okay. You know? It hurts..but its worth it. It's not his first tattoo Gee."

"I know. Just..needles still freak me out." Gerard admitted, watching Frank hook his thumbs in his self made hoodie holes, hiding the tattooed knuckles. 

"I know. Have one o'clocks stencil done?"

"Yup." 

"Thanks. Why don't you go for lunch, it might make you feel better?" Frank offered, hanging an unlit cigarette between his chapped lips. Gerard shrugged and continued to smoke in silence. 

"Okay. One more hour on Mikey, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll just stay in the back room. Not hungry yet." Gerard whispered and watched Frank nod before heading back in. Within a minute Gerard could hear the buzz of the tattoo gun start up again. 

He kept working his ass off, drawing up designs and ideas until his fingers were numb. Then Frank came into the room late May and sat down on the couch, staring at Gerard until he turned.

"What?"

"I need another artist. We're booked for the next year, Gee. I can't do it myself." Gerard understood that. They hardly ever left before 9 PM recently. 

"I want it to be you."

"You want me? To tattoo? And not puke on an open wound?" Gerard spluttered, watching Franks amused smile as he noddled. 

"Try. Just try to do one on me."

"You mean now?"

"I do. I want some writing on my chest. Just try? You fuck it up and I can fix it. Doesn't matter, alright? Just try once."

And thats how Gerard found himself holding a tattoo gun and leaning over Franks chest. The outline was clear as day, three words.  _LET LOVE IN._

"It shakes."

"It does. Focus on the lines and not the gun." Frank whispered as Gerard spread a gloved hand over Franks collarbone, resting it there and huffing when his hair fell into his face. 

"I'll tie it up. Turn." 

Gerard did as he was told, careful not to touch anything with his gloves as he felt gentle fingers run through his hair and tie it back with an elastic band. He noticed the hand hovering more than nessasary as he turned again, watching Frank lie down. 

"You sure? If I fuck-"

"You won't. Focus on the lines." Frank promised and closed his eyes. Gerard leaned over him again and almost elbowed Frank in the face who laughed loudly.

"Alright. Climb up onto the bed."

"What?" Gerard mumbled, already setting down the machine and staring at him adjusting his body.

"Kneel at my hips. C'mon, it'll help you balance the first time."

"I've never seen you straddle your customer." Gerard pointed out as he climbed on anyway, cringing at the bench creaking. He ubnderstood what Frank meant though, writing forward seemed easier.

"Okay. Load the gun with the ink and grab some tissues. Start when your ready."

Gerard did as he was told, taking one final glance at Franks face before focusing on the L and setting his gun there. He traced it carefully, focusing on the line filling with ink before wiping it away and doing it again, filling in the spots he missed. Over all he spent an hour doing a twenty minute tattoo, tracing the lines until they were packed with ink and he could get off Frank and squirt some cleaning soluntion onto the skin. He wiped it clean and examined the lines, shaky in some places but for a first try, he thought it looked awesome. He handed Frank the mirror and waited until he smiled to relax.

"We start training you tomorrow. Cool?"

Gerard nodded. It would be cool to put art on peoples skin forever. He changed his gloves and let Frank teach him how to wrap it properly before they cleaned up. He kept catching Frank staring in the mirror, grinning at the dark writing.

"I owe you one. Lets grab a beer."

A beer with Frank was never just a beer. Gerard knew that going in, fully expecting the beer to turn into spirits and the glasses to turn into shots. Somehow he lost the ability to care, enjoying the buzz in his skin as he watched Frank move to the jukebox. A minute later and Gerard had to laugh as Frank mimed reeling him in. The danced and drank until the sun came up, when all they could do was retreat to their own apartments to try and survive the day. 

Gerard spent six months tattooing oranges and pig skin before the sign went up infront of the shop.

_Apprentice rate available._

He was surprised when he had an appointment the following day, a large piece covering a girls thigh. He spent hours drawing it up, making sure it looked perfect and colourful. When he was tattooing, he could feel Franks eyes on his the entire time. Gerard refused to admit the shiver that ran up his spine. 

"Gee?" Frank called late December. Gerard wondered what the fuck he was still doing here, it was Christmas Eve. Why was Gerard even here? He guessed he got distracted by the smooth lines of a traditional style dagger.

"In here."

Frank came in with a box, wrapped messily as he smile and held it out.

"You got me a present?"

"I did. I heard you talking about it." Frank mumbled as he took the box. He couldn't help tear it open and gasp at the box. A drawing pad for his laptop! 

"Dude! These are so expensive! Thank you!" Gerard grinned as Frank blushed and shrugged. He got up to hug him, eyes still glued to the box on the table as he thought of what he could draw. He didn't think for long, the small kiss pressed to his cheek distracting him.

"Merry Christmas Gee. See you."

"Merry Christmas Frankie." Gerard whispered and watched him leave, feeling his heart beat in his chest. The first thing he said when he turned up to Mikeys apartment was  _Frank kissed me._

"you mean, like kissed you? Or on the cheek?"

"Cheek. But he's never done that, Mikey! What if he likes me too? Do you think he does?" 

"You can ask him tomorrow. Guess whos coming to Christmas dinner?" Mikey chuckled and waved Gerard in, who mainly stood frozen. Frank never said but atleast this gave Gerard time to get him a present. Or maybe a drawing? Frank would prefare a drawing. So he dissapeared into Mikeys spare room and spent hours drawing, using all his special pencils and colours. 

When Frank turned up, Gerard regretted it all. He looked gorgeous, a black shirt and black jeans, hair styled messily and eyeliner hung around his eyes. But he was giving Gerard the soft, honest smile he was so used to seeing. They all huddled round Mikeys shitty four person table, Franks knees bumping his as they drank and ate tofurkey until Gerard thought he might die. He retreated into his room for a nap before dessert and was glad when Frank knocked on the door a few minutes later. 

"You didn't say you were coming."

"Surprise." Frank waved his hands as he moved to the bed, lying down on his back next to Gerard. He forced himself to grab the piece of paper and pass it over, staring at the ceiling as Frank gasped softly.

_it was snowing. Frank always loved the snow. He kept the snowglobe Gerard bought him on the reception desk in the studio, never missing a day where he didn't shake it. Gerard drew them side by side, Frank staring up at the sky as snow fell onto their eyelashes, he wasn't looking at the sky though, he drew himself with his eyes glued to Franks happy face with a speachbubble above his head that read **I'm in love you.**_

"You..jesus."

"I prefare to be called Gerard but-" Frank elbowed him in the side, giggling softly as he finally looked over at Frank, surprised to see tear rimmed eyes. 

"It's beautiful. I love it." Frank whispered, Gerard felt his chest deflated. No  _I love you_ but then he was rolling over onto his stomach and pressing a soft kiss to Gerards cheek.

"I love you, too." 

Gerard let out the breath he was holding, feeling the grin on his lips as he looked over Franks face. He couldn't help the giggle that escaped his lips at how the moment screamed  _us._

"Promise?"

"Until my last breath, Gee. I promise." Frank whispered, crossing his heart with his finger before kissing his cheek again. When Mikey called them for dessert, Gerard couldn't hide the dorky grin on his face. 

Frank kissed him a week later, just as the final snow began to fall. They were getting lunch and heading back to the studio when it started, Gerard rambling on about his new tattoo machine and how he it felt right when Frank shut him up with soft lips against his own, right in the middle of the street. Gerard held him there until his nose began to freeze from the cold, forcing himself to break apart as Frank giggled and looked up at the sky, letting the snow brush his cheeks. Gerard didn't take his eyes off the only thing that mattered, the tattooed man infront of him with the dorky grin and pot laugh. 

"I love you." Gerard whispered, ignoring the voice screaming in his head when he realised he never said that outloud to anyone  _ever._

"I love you, Gee." Frank whispered straight back, rubbing their noses together and laughing as Gerard shivered. He would never get sick of hearing those words come out of Franks chapped, honest lips. 


End file.
